Z Hotel Soho, London - The Ultimate Urban Experience

A visit to Soho can be a trip down memory lane for anyone who spent time there in their youth. Revisiting old haunts and enjoying a few nostalgic moments can make a return visit into a very special occasion.

And where better to stay to reassure yourself that you never lost that aura of urban cool than the Z Hotel, perfectly situated in the very heart of the action?

The packed streets and crowds of central London are only yards away, but sipping wine in the inner courtyard sanctum of the Z Hotel in Soho on a sultry summer’s evening feels like a world apart. A welcome oasis of calm in the city, the experience is reminiscent of leaving the chaos of the main square of Marrakech and gratefully retreating into a riad.

The Z Hotel is new concept offering high quality, affordable pricing and a prime location. No fewer than 12 Georgian townhouses have been converted into 85 rooms interlocked by a myriad of internal and external corridors centred around the open air courtyard.

The rooms are compact. Let’s try that again, the rooms are exceedingly small, but put that to one side and look at the quality, location and price. After all, when you are staying in the pulsating heart of Soho, sandwiched between two West End Theatres and with the city’s nightlife on your doorstep, who needs to spend much time indoors?

There’s the room and, well, there’s the bed. Want to sit down? Just think horizontally. And a very nice bed it is too, with no expense spared on comfort, crisp bed linen and a smart leather headboard. Other furniture? Just a solitary stool and a bedside table, but that’s not the point. Day bed, night bed, it’s cosy for sure, and with a wall on three sides, there’s not much chance of falling out.

A 40 inch flat screen TV (free Sky Sport and Movies) makes use of every bit of space. There’s a neat alcove under the bed for the bin, a stylish little box for tea making equipment and a mini kettle. A designer wetroom, i-docking station and free WiFi complete the picture for a perfect urban stay.

All the rooms are different. There are some internal rooms which are the first to book; there’s no natural light but that really isn’t important for those who want a place to drop, shop, sightsee and flop. And there are two sought after rooms with small balconies, the ultimate treat to be in the heart of the city but with a bird’s eye view. And for those with limited mobility, there are 5 rooms with wheelchair access.

Back to the courtyard again, and what a perfect place to relax with complimentary wine, cheese, bread and fruit. Or try ascending to the 5th floor roof terrace, and enjoy another Marrakech moment looking out over the rooftops, although with Jersey Boys to the right and Singing in the Rain to the left, it’s a very different view to the minarets.

The staff are excellent: professional and courteous, but informal and friendly; you get the feeling that not much would phase them. From the welcoming glass of fruit tea to the impeccable attention to explain the remote control, they are simply very cool. And with guests of all ages and nationalities, nobody feels out of place.

The Z Cafe serves an excellent breakfast and a there’s a good choice of snacks and drinks, all very reasonably priced. Worth noting though that it’s a pay as you go system rather than being able to charge anything to the room.

Any complaints? A lady from Jersey apparently wasn’t too keen on climbing over her husband each time she needed the bathroom in the middle of the night (perhaps he wasn’t grumbling though). And there’s no doubt that it can be on the noisy side, but that goes with the terrain of having Soho on your doorstep. And for celebrity watchers, you couldn’t be in a better place: Kylie filmed her latest video just outside the front door.

The Z Hotel concept is spreading with the forthcoming opening in July of the Z Hotel in Victoria. Here there are 106 rooms and again the location is spot - on, close to the heart of theatre land, with just a stone’s throw from Billy Elliot and Wicked.

Is the Z Hotel concept suited to Silver Travellers? Absolutely. Come with the right frame of mind to enjoy an urban break and you will once again feel young and fashionable. Not to mention that rare feeling of being in the right place at the right time for a unique and memorable Z rated experience.